Apparatus for electric heating of engines of the hot-bulb type before starting



Jan. 9, 1923, s. B. PETTER.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC HEATING 0F ENGINES 0F THE'HOT BULB TYPE BEFORE STARTLNG.

Z SHEETSSHEET l.

FILED IAN. 4,1921- G. B. PETTER.

Jan. 9, 1923.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC HEATING 0F ENGINES OF THE HOT BULB TYPE BEFORE STARTING.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 FILED JAN. 4.1921- Patented Jan. 9, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

our E. PETTEB; or SOMERSET, ENGLAND, "nssronoa no rE'r'rEEs, LIMITED, or soMEasEr, ENGLAND. v

I *1A1U'S FOR ELECTRIC HEATING F ENGINES OI. THE HOT-BULB TYPE BEFORE STARTING.

Application filed January e,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUY BAZELEY PE ran, of Nautilus Works, Yeovil, Somerset, England, a subset of the King of Great 5 Britain and Irel new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Electric Heating of Engines of the Hot- BulbType before Starting, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric heating and ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines of the hot bulb type before starting,in which apparatus a coil ofwire or other suitable heating element is heated by an electric current and the said heating coil is used to ignite the mixture of fuel and air in the combustion chamber of the on me.

n arrangement has heretofore been proposed in which the heating element is contained in a plu adapted to be screwed or otherwise fixed into the combustion chamber in such a manner that the fuel spray issuing from the fuel injection nozzle comes as in contact with the said heating element, thereby effecting ignition. The object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement by means of which the heating element can be with-v 0 drawn from the inside of the combustion chamber after ignition has been effected and the heat of combustion has raised the temperature of the walls of the chamber sufficiently to permit of ignition being thereafter continued by means of surface ignition.

In carrying out m invention in theprew ferred form I fix t e heating element in the neck of a mushroom or poppet valve, co fitted into the combustion chamber near the fuel injection nozzle in such a manner that when the valve is closed upon its seat, the heating element is withdrawn outside the chamber, but when the valve'is opened by an amount of 1" more or less, the head of the valve passes across the line of action of the fuel spray and brings the heating element into posltion so that some of the spray comes in contact with it, thereby earns ing ignition.

11 order that this invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into practice, constructions embodying the same will now be described by way of illustraelevation, shewin and, have invented certaintion; Fig. 2 is a similar 1921. Serial no. ascent.

tion with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a part sectional the improved arrangement of the ignition apparatus, and a dev ce for placing the valve carrying the heatmg element 1n and out of operative posiview showing a modification of the device said valve in and out of operative position and also'mean's for withdrawing the valve for inspection. I

Referring to the drawings, the combustion chamber is supplied with fuel from a sprayer 2 adapted to deliver a jet or spray for placing the of fuel oil fed from the fuel pump (not shewn).

The electrically heated wire element 4: is carried upon the mushroom valve 3 which in the drawing is shown in its forward position in which the heating element aproects lnto the combustion chamber so that part of the fuel spray falls upon the said element. ..1

The heating element a is attached at one end to the valve head'5. which forms an earth connection, and at the other end it is attached to a wire 6 passing through the hollow valve stem and insulated by means of insulating. washers 7 and 8.

The-wire 6 is provided at its outer end with suitable cable connections to receive the cable 9 for supplying current for heatmg the wlre element from a dynamo or storage battery.

By means of a sleeve 10 the valve stem and connected parts are passed through the water cooled section of the walls surroundthe combustion chamber.

in Tn the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 a

lever 11 controls and operates the forward and backward movement, .of the valve the lever being secured in one position or the other by means of a quadrant 12 fitted with stops or pegs 13 and 14: for engaging the lever and thus locating the valve in the forward or backward position. The valve stem is preferably provided with a second valve head arran ed outside the engine as shown at 17 for ll and-preventing the escaping of gas when the valve is in the forward positlon.

Means must be provided for preventing the rotation of the valve stem in order that theheatingelement a may always be turned loo osing the combustion chamber A 1 towards the spray. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings this is done vby providing the lever 11 with a forked end 15 the forks of which fit into flat recesses 16 on opposite sides of the valve 1 stem,thereby preventing rotation.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 'the movement of the valve is controlled by the hand wheel 18 which'works on the square screw thread 19 provided on the valve stem 3. A loose bush 20 is fitted inside the sleeve 10, being held in position by the valve casing 21 and prevented from rotating by the .80 that by turning the hand-wheel, the valve moves either in or out.

It will be understood that the ob ect of the loose bush is to provide means whereby the valve'3 may easily be removed for examination or attentionby removing the nuts '25 and 26 holding the valve casing 21, the

bush 20 being then withdrawn with the valve. a

Other modifications of the arrangements shown in the drawings may be adopted without alfecting the principle of our invention, and it is pointed out that while we. have'specified a mushroom or poppet-valve in the preferred arrangement described above, any suitable member may be substi-' tuted which is capable of a to and fro movement and is adapted to shut off the heat of the combustion chamber from the element in the inactive position of the latter.

What I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an internal combustion en ine, ignition apparatus comprising in com ination a fuel injection-device, a recessin the wall of the combustion chamber near the said device, a valve controlling the communication between the recess and the interior of-' the combustion chamber, a stem carrying the valve, an electric heating element mounted in the, stem with its exposed surface towards the fuel injection device, means for pre-- venting rotation of the stem, connections. to the heating element from a source of current, and means for opening and closing the valve and simultaneousl moving the heating element into and wit drawing it from the combustion chamber.

2. In an internal combustion en ine, ignition apparatus comprising incom ination a fuel injection device, a assage through the 1 wall of the combustion c amber in the vicinity of the said device, a hollowstem arranged .to slidei in the said passage, a valve "rotationof the valve stem.

head on the part of the stem outside the engine adapted'to close the outer end of the passage in the inner. position of the stem, another valve head on the inner end of the stem adapted to close the inner end of the passage in the outer position of thestem,-an opening in the wall of'the hollow stem at the inner end of the latter on the side nearest the injection device, an electric heating element arranged within the stem opposite the said opening, connections within the stem from a source of current tothe heating element, means for preventing the stem from rotating, and means for movin the stem to its inner or outer position at wi 1.

3. In an internal combustion engine, ignition ap aratus comprising in combination a fuel injection device, a passage through the wall of the combustion chamber in the vicinity of the said device, a valve control lin the communicationbetween the passage an the interior of the combustion chamber,

- a valve stem, an electric heating element carried upon the stem, connections thereto from a source of current, a casing secured to the outside of the combustion chamber concentric with the said passage and enclosing a part of the valve stem, an external screwthread on the said part ofthe valve stem,

a hand-wheel revolubly secured upon the casing, a hole through the hub of the handwheel, an internal screw thread in the wall of the said hole engaging with the external screw thread on the valve stem, and means for preventing the rotation of the. valve stem. v

4. In an internal combustion engine, ignition apparatus comprising in combination a fuel injection device, a passage, through the wall of the combustion chamber in the vicinity of the said device, a valve controlling the communication between the assage and the interior of'the combustion c amber, 'a valve stem, an electric heating element carried upon thestem, connections thereto from a source of current, a cas1ng secured to the outside ofthe combustlon chamber consquare screw thread on the said part of the valve stem, a hand-wheel revolubly secured upon the casing, a, holethroughl the hub of the hand-wheel, an internal square screw thread in the wall-of the'said hole engaging with the external square screw thread on the valve. stem, and means for preventing the v 5. "In an internal combustion engine, igniltion apparatus comprising in combination a fuel injection' device, a passage through the wall of the combustion chamber in the vicinity of the said device, a loose bush within the said passage for facilitating with drawal of theapparatus for inspection or repair, a hollow valve stem enclosed within thebush, a longitudinal groove in the extecentric with the said passage, an external Ill neeimi rior of the said stem, a pin passing through the loose bush and projecting into the said groove in the valve stem, a valve on the stem controlling the communication between the passage and the interior of the combustion chamber, an electric heating element carried by the hollow valve stem, connections thereto passing through the said hollow stem from a source of current, a casing secured to the outside of thecombustion chamber concentric with the said passage and enclosing a part'of the valve stem, an external screw thread on the said part of the valve stem, a handheel revolubly secured upon the casing, a hole through the hubof the hand-wheel, and an internal screw thread in the wall of the said hole engaging with the external screw thread on the valve stem.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GUY BI PETTER. 

